Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital. Settle into the excellent Sofitel Buenos Aires (or similar) before taking a guided overview of the city, seeing its Beaux-Arts palaces, grand boulevards, and the famous balcony forever associated with Eva Perón.

Fly by private charter to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Join a catamaran cruise through the Beagle Channel before embarking National Geographic Explorer.

Make the most of shipboard life during your first days at sea, traversing over 2,000 nautical miles. Meet your expedition staff and fellow travelers; head up to the bridge to meet the Captain and his officers and watch the business of navigation; and enjoy engaging presentations about Brazil as you head along the coast to your first stop: Rio de Janeiro.

Today soak up the spirit of Brazil’s best known city: Rio. Unlike other cities, where there may be some urban parks, Rio’s soaring, forest-clad mountains are within the very heart of the city. Options will be many: explore Floresta da Tijuca (Rio’s hand-planted urban rainforest), or visit the Poco das Antas Biological Reserve, home of the famous golden lion tamarins. Take a walking tour of Rio’s historic downtown, create wonderful photo ops at the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, catch a cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain, and of course, take advantage of Rio’s legendary beaches. Rio is justly renowned for its nightlife, and in the evening you can venture to the world-famous Rio Scenarium for samba music and dancing.

Make new friends, acquire new skills, and come home with a fresh outlook on life. Wish you could improve your photography? Join the expert National Geographic photographer and certified photo instructor to get more from your camera. Reinvigorate your body and spirit—join a yoga or Pilates-inspired movement session on deck, or go the extra distance on the fitness equipment. Treat yourself: Enjoy your choice of one of the rejuvenating wellness treatments—simply choose which, and when you’d like to have it during the voyage.

Relish the rare chance to access Brazil’s marine UNESCO site by special permission. Explore the exclusive beaches, where strict visitor limits and a ban on ship traffic have successfully preserved the archipelago’s pristine nature. Recognized for its marine environment, with rich waters that are an important breeding ground for tuna, turtles, sharks and marine mammals—and the largest concentration of tropical seabirds in the western Atlantic. Opt to hike, swim and snorkel in the crystalline waters, or take a boat excursion to Dolphins Bay to marvel at its spinner dolphins—their acrobatics are renowned, and there is no better place to see them than Fernando de Noronha.

Your voyage from sub-Antarctic waters into the tropics and across the equator will provide great wildlife encounters: a huge diversity of seabirds—from albatrosses to tropicbirds, boobies and frigatebirds—and of course, abundant marine life. Cross the equator via kayak or Zodiac—with photos to prove you did it!

Fogo is the youngest and most continually active volcano in the Cape Verde Islands. The last eruptions were in 1995, 1951, and one just last year, producing classically cone-shaped, gentle volcanic slopes. You are sure to be moved by the juxtaposition of these gracious mountains and the jagged lava rocks and lunar-like landscape of the volcanic crater. You’ll meet the beautiful and industrious people of the island, and take advantage of breathtaking photo ops.

Spend time on deck, soaking up the tonic of sea air, mild weather, and beautiful views.

At the ideal time of year, you’ll explore the beautiful island of Madeira, often referred to as the “floating garden of the Atlantic” for its exotic flora and glorious terraced gardens. Choose a walk through the Laurisilva Forest or a visit to the Madeira Whale Museum, and sample Madeira’s famed seafood and wines. Perhaps you’ll indulge in a ride down the steep streets of Monte in a traditional wicker-sided toboggan, or hike the windswept headlands at the eastern tip of the island.

Additional lectures and informal talks will be presented by the staff on everything from the Portuguese and Spanish navigators of the 15th-century Age of Discovery to talks from the photography team on how to organize and share your images.

Enter the River Dart bound for Dartmouth, England. This colorful town, perched atop a steep hill above the River Dart, is full of charming narrow lanes bustling with seafarers. At Dartmouth Castle, visit the guardrooms and winding passages; be sure to take your cameras for some interesting shots from the castle’s battlements. This afternoon you’ll have free time to meander Dartmouth’s quaint shops, pubs and picturesque lanes.

Your final day at sea is time to reflect on all that you have seen and done on this sweeping voyage, and to celebrate at the farewell dinner.

Disembark this morning in Bremerhaven and transfer to Hamburg for homeward-bound flights.